Metal skewers. © CooksInfo / 2019
Skewers are formed sticks with points on each end used to skewer together chunks of meat, vegetable and seafood meant for cooking together — typically, over an open flame, and typically, in order to make kebabs.
They may be made of wood, or metal. The wooden ones are meant to be, generally, single-use only. Steel ones are better for foods with long cooking times.
Cooking Tips
When you are using metal skewers, you’ll find that food slips around less on flat ones than it does on round ones.
Working with wooden skewers
Soak wooden skewers in water for at least half an hour before using. You can alternatively soak the skewers in half water, half juice to impart some of the flavour in what you are cooking. You could try other flavours such as soy sauce, barbeque sauce, beer, liquid smoke, wine, etc.
If you are really organized, you can soak them overnight. Soaking won’t keep them immune from burning forever, though, because at some point they will dry out and start to burn, so plan to use them with food that cooks quickly. If what you are cooking requires a longer time, use stainless steel skewers.
You can also use wooden skewers in the oven, toaster oven, or under your broiler or grill. Soak them first before using as you would for the barbeque.
Wooden skewers. Hans Braxmeier / Pixabay.com / 2012 / CC0 1.0